Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior post Amarah Williams sunk a free throw with eight seconds to go to cap a 9-0 run and lift Nebraska Kearney past South Dakota Mines, 46-45, Saturday evening in Rapid City.
 
The Lopers (4-5) stop a two-game losing streak and now are 3-1 on the road this season. Meanwhile, Mines falls to 3-6.
 
In a game where both teams shot below 34% from the field, UNK found itself down 45-37 with 5:03 left on the clock. However, the Hardrockers had three turnovers, six missed field goals and committed five fouls in the last five minutes.
 
A bucket by senior post Mariam Ridgwell (Boise, Idaho) started the final run. She then stole the ball from the 'Rockers and that led to a layup by freshman guard Taylor Neilson (Meeker, Colo.) with 4:14 to go.
 
UNK did miss four free throws down the stretch but Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) made two  to make it 45-44 by the 1:49 mark. Sophomore forward Kelsey Fitzgerald (Yankton, S.D.) went one of two at the line to tie things up about 50 seconds later and then Mines missed its final shot of the night.
 
As expected, Williams got the ball down low on a pass from Ridgewell. She was fouled with eight ticks left and made the first of two freebies. The 'Rockers had a chance for a potential game winning shot but threw the ball away in the backcourt.
 
"We did a good job of getting our hands up and contesting shots. But, boy, we couldn't knock down a shot tonight," said UNK head coach Kevin Chaney. "At the end, we told Amarah she was going to get the ball and she came through."
 
Williams managed her fourth double double of the season (12 points & 11 rebounds) with Fitzgerald also sinking four field goals to tally 10.
Off the bench, Ridgewell had eight points, four boards, two steals and an assist in 19 minutes.
 
In the backcourt, junior Laramey Lewis (Trenton) and sophomore Alexa Hogberg (Chandler, Ariz.) had seven points apiece while combining for 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
 
UNK was plus 10 in points in the paint, 20-10, and had a plus six rebounding margin, 38-32. The 'Rockers did tally 15 points off of 21 Kearney turnovers.
 
Starter Devyn Asche (15) was the only Mines player to reach double digits.
 
Next week, the Lopers visit Lindenwood Thursday night and Lincoln on Saturday afternoon